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Canonical extends Ubuntu 12.04 LTS desktop support

Canonical's new LTS schedule for Ubuntu
Source: Canonical
Long before its release, Canonical has announced that it is extending the time for which the desktop version of Ubuntu 12.04, Precise Pangolin, will be supported. Ubuntu 12.04 will be an LTS (Long Term Support) release; LTS releases currently see the support period raised from the normal 18 months for other releases to three years for the desktop edition and five years for the server edition. The company says it will, with the April 2012 release of 12.04, extend the desktop support and maintenance period from three to five years, bringing it in line with the server edition.

Canonical says it is making the change as a response to increased demand for Ubuntu desktops in corporate environments. The five year support period will see two years of updates that include support for new hardware, followed by three years of maintenance updates. As LTS releases are made every two years, the schedule should allow enterprises to always use an Ubuntu LTS edition with support for current hardware.